Experimental studies on the effect of induced antifibrinolysis on per-operative tumour cell shedding

Previous experimental data suggested a pronounced inhibition of the spontaneous intravascular tumor cell shedding by induced antifibrinolysis. Furthermore, the growth rate of primary tumours was reduced. This initiated the present investigation, in which the effect of antifibrinolysis, induced with tranexamic acid, on the per-operative intravascular release of cells from a 20-methylcholanthrene induced rat sarcoma was studied. Tumour cell shedding was estimated by registration of the outgrowth of secondary tumours in animals transplanted intrasmuscularly or intravenously with blood from the operatively treated tumour area. Induced antifibrinolysis was not found to influence the intravascular shedding of tumour cells. However, a significantly increase release of tumour cells was found during biopsies on large primary tumours compared to the same operative procedure on small tumours.